The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-04-21
COhio Farmer.l
The Stock Farm of To- day.


At present while money is not cir
culating freely and margins are small,
the stockmen, in view of continued
low prices, feel with their contempo-
raries the depression in business; yet
they know their vocation is destined
to be the most prominent one, the
most Independent one, since years of
experience have shown that, by rails
ing the best breeds, the business is not
liable to be overdone, and that they
are not compelled to share profits
with those having money in other
investments which do not reach the
medium standard of success. The
stock farmer suffer less from hard
times than his fellow grain farmer,
and raise nor grain per acre on his
land. Even now, when well-bred
range cattle are selling for nearly the
same price as natives, we find that the
native cattle of good, high grade are
in the greatest demand, both as fat
cattle and feeders, and it is to be re-
membered that our cattle go to mrket
much younger than the range cattle
or the low grade stock of years ago.
Such is the case also with the best
class Of horses. The time is not yet
come when heavy draft horses have
not paid well, for to-day the lumber
men and the wheat growers of the
North demand the heaviest kind of
horses. The enterprising breeder
finds it to his interest to advertise in
good agricultural papers, and also to
be represented in associations; but he
looks first at the feeding, and sees to
it that no established rules of hand
ling stock shall be neglected. His
hogs are not kept on half allowance
and left to squeal from the morning
feed to the night, or when it thaws in
the spring allowing them to root up
the pastures by not having been rung
in time. His young colts and calves
are sheltered from the severe storms,
and the chickens are not permitted to
roost over them, and the stock thus be-
come affected with parasites.
Again, the climate in winter in the
Middle Atlantic States is more severe
than heretofore, and the stock
men Of to-day know the requirement
O1 dIu DoOICI IOOu UIlIS Oluc
to sustain the animal heat. Stock of all
kinds fatten and thrive only in pro-
portion to the amount Of nourishment
that there is in their food, so at this
season, unless well cared for, the flesh
gained in the fall will be consumed
for sustaining heat in the body. Per-
haps some ignore the fact, and let
their stock rustic in the stalks and
around straw stacks after the cream
of the feed is gone. 1t is surprising
to find how quick stock will ''go back"
The reasons for extra care are two: /:
First, "a dollar saved is a dollar
made" and second the stock mature
younger, and hence give a quick re-
turn. But there is one objection to
high feeding in pigs, an that is, it
keeps the brood sows to fat. They
get so clumsy that, with the utmost
precaution. of the feeder, they smother
the young pigs. They should be fed
loosening food and have plenty of
room for exercise.
1t is said that we western stock
farmers of to-day are on a parallel
with our transatlantic brothers.
England may boast Of her fine breeds
of cattle, France stands pre-eminent
in good horses; but we import their
best stock, and haye the wide ranges
on which to Craze them. In view of
increasing population, the vast emil
grafton of foreigners, the steady
progress made in fencing and tilling
our soil, the stock farmers-of the
future will have the most independent
and paving business in the land.